The Mount Polley remediation efforts have been underway for years. These efforts have benefited tremendously from the hard work of Mount Polley staff, Mount Polley’s First Nations partners, and local contractors and consultants from nearby Williams Lake. We think that its especially important to highlight the work of First Nations partners as the complementarity of environmental stewardship and responsible resource development is one that we are working to get right. We seek to accomplish this in partnership with all who have a stake in the natural wonder of where we live and work.
Mount Polley has remediation partnerships with the T’exelcemc Nation, the Xat’sull First Nation, along with the Secwepemc Nation. First Nations partners have advised and been integral to the remediation of Hazeltine Creek and other affected areas near the Mount Polley site.
Seed gathering and revegetation
Revegetation has been an important part of remediation. For example, members of the Xat’sull First Nation collected willows cuttings for subsequent planting as stakes. As a result, this work enchanced and strengthened the shoreline of Hazeltine Creek. These efforts are part of the 600,000 native shrubs and trees that have been planted. This planting was done in riparian and uplands areas near and at the affected sites. It was important to plant native species to the area. Seeds from vegetative species local to the affected area were incubated and grown in nurseries. Subsequently, these were planted when grown. The practice of seed gathering and spreading has been done on an annual basis. Along with nursery efforts, Mount Polley’s work has been extensive. The remediation project is working to restore the natural ecosystem and native vegetative species. These species include the Red Osier Dogwood and Douglas fir are now thriving.
Restoration of the vegetative species at the creek shorelines has been important for building fish spawning habitats. Thousands of rainbow trout have spawned in Hazeltine Creek. These trout now make up part of the natural habitat in Polley lake. The fish from Quesnel lake and Polley lake are safe to eat.
Mount Polley tailing spill to Mount Polley recovery
As a result, we’ve turned the corner since the Mount Polley tailings spill in 2014. Indeed, the Mount Polley remediation efforts have allowed the site to turn the corner into recovery. In a few short years, with a significant investment of over $70 million, Mount Polley is making things right and is developing new methods and refining best practices along with First Nations partners. Mount Polley is doing this to show that while Canada’s resource development sector gets it right most of the time, when it doesn’t, it makes it right.